week of prayer for christian unity
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Resource and guidelines for prayer - Christian UnityTRANSCRIPT
CONTENTS
To those organizing the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2
Biblical text 3
Introduction to the theme for the year 2013 4
The preparation of the material
for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2013 9
Ecumenical worship service 10
Introduction to the service 10
Order of the service 12
Biblical reflections and prayers for the ‗eight days‘ 18
Introduction to Christianity in India:
the context for the churches 31
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity : Themes 1968-2013 39
Key dates in the history of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 44
Scripture quotations: The scripture quotations contained herein are from The New
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, 1995, by the Division of
Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the
United States of America, and are used with permission. All rights reserved.
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TO THOSE ORGANIZING
THE WEEK OF PRAYER FOR
CHRISTIAN UNITY
The search for unity: throughout the year
The traditional period in the northern hemisphere for the Week of Prayer for
Christian Unity is 18-25 January. Those dates were proposed in 1908 by Paul
Wattson to cover the days between the feasts of St Peter and St Paul, and therefore
have a symbolic significance. In the southern hemisphere where January is a
vacation time churches often find other days to celebrate the week of prayer, for
example around Pentecost (suggested by the Faith and Order movement in 1926),
which is also a symbolic date for the unity of the church.
Mindful of the need for flexibility, we invite you to use this material throughout
the whole year to express the degree of communion which the churches have
already reached, and to pray together for that full unity which is Christ‘s will.
Adapting the text
This material is offered with the understanding that, whenever possible, it will be
adapted for use in local situations. Account should be taken of local liturgical and
devotional practice, and of the whole social and cultural context. Such adaptation
should ideally take place ecumenically. In some places ecumenical structures are
already set up for adapting the material; in other places, we hope that the need to
adapt it will be a stimulus to creating such structures.
Using the Week of Prayer material
■ For churches and Christian communities which observe the week of prayer
together through a single common service, an order for an ecumenical worship
service is provided.
■ Churches and Christian communities may also incorporate material from the
week of prayer into their own services. Prayers from the ecumenical worship
service, the ‗eight days‘, and the selection of additional prayers can be used as
appropriate in their own setting.
■ Communities which observe the week of prayer in their worship for each day
during the week may draw material for these services from the ‗eight days‘.
■ Those wishing to do bible studies on the week of prayer theme can use as a
basis the biblical texts and reflections given in the eight days. Each day the
discussions can lead to a closing period of intercessory prayer.
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■ Those who wish to pray privately may find the material helpful for focusing
their prayer intentions. They can be mindful that they are in communion with
others praying all around the world for the greater visible unity of Christ‘s
church.
BIBLICAL TEXT
(Micah 6: 6-8)
‗With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on
high? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old? Will
the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of
my soul?‘ He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require
of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
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INTRODUCTION TO THE THEME
FOR THE YEAR 2013
What does God require of us?
(cf. Micah 6:6-8)
To mark its centenary, the Student Christian Movement of India (SCMI) was
invited to prepare the resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
(WPCU) 2013 and they involved the All India Catholic University Federation and
the National Council of Churches in India. In the preparatory process while
reflecting on the significance of the WPCU, it was decided that in a context of
great injustice to Dalits in India and in the Church, the search for visible unity
cannot be disassociated from the dismantling of casteism and the lifting up of
contributions to unity by the poorest of the poor.
The Dalits in the Indian context are the communities which are considered ‗out-
castes‘. They are the people worst affected by the caste-system, which is a rigid
form of social stratification based on notions of ritual purity and pollution. Under
the caste-system, the castes are considered to be ‗higher‘ or ‗lower‘. The Dalit
communities are considered to be the most polluted and polluting and thus placed
outside the caste-system and were previously even called ‗untouchable‘. Because
of casteism the Dalits are socially marginalized, politically under-represented,
economically exploited and culturally subjugated. Almost 80% of Indian Christians
have a Dalit background.
Despite outstanding progress in the twentieth century, the churches in India remain
divided along the doctrinal divisions inherited from Europe and elsewhere.
Christian disunity in India within churches and between them is further
accentuated by the caste system. Casteism, like apartheid, racism and nationalism
poses severe challenges for the unity of Christians in India and therefore, for the
moral and ecclesial witness of the Church as the one body of Christ. As a church-
dividing issue, casteism is consequently an acute doctrinal issue. It is in this
context that this year‘s WPCU invites us to explore the well known biblical text of
Micah 6:6-8, focusing upon the question ‗what does God require of us‘ as the main
theme. The Dalit experience serves as the crucible from within which theological
reflections on the biblical theme emerge.
Micah was one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament who prophesied
from approximately 737-690 BC in Judah. He came from Moresheth, southwest of
Jerusalem, and prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of
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Judah (Micah 1:1). He lived in the same political, economic, moral, and religious
conditions as his contemporary Isaiah and with him witnessed the destruction of
Samaria, and the invasion of the Southern Kingdom by the King of Assyria in the
year 701 BC. His grief as he wept over the plight of his people informs the tone of
his book, and he turns his anger upon the leaders (2:1-5) and priests who had
betrayed his people.
The Book of Micah belongs to the literary tradition of Prophecy. At the heart of its
message is the oracle of judgment. The book unfolds in three sections
demonstrating a journey from judgment in general (ch.1-3), to the proclamation of
salvation (ch. 4-5), to the word of judgment and the celebration of salvation (ch.6-
7). In the first part, Micah harshly criticizes those in authority, both political and
religious, for abusing their power and stealing from the poor: They ―tear the skin
off my people‖ (3:2), and ―give judgment for a bribe‖ (3:11). In the second part of
the book Micah exhorts the people to walk in pilgrimage ―up to the mountain of
the Lord... that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his path‖ (4:2).
God‘s judgment is revealed in the third part to be accompanied by a call to await in
hope for salvation, with faith in God who ―pardons iniquities and passes over
transgression‖ (7:18). This hope focuses upon the Messiah, who will be ―peace‖
(5:4), and who will come forth from Bethlehem (5:1) bringing salvation ―to the
ends of the earth‖ (5:4). Micah ultimately calls upon all nations of the world to
walk in this pilgrimage, to share in the justice and peace which is their salvation.
Micah‘s strong call to justice and peace is concentrated in chapters 6:1 – 7:7, part
of which forms the theme of this year‘s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
(WPCU). He sets justice and peace within the history of the relationship between
God and humanity but insists that this history necessitates and demands a strong
ethical reference. Like other prophets who lived in the period of the Israel
monarchy, Micah reminds the people that God has saved them from slavery in
Egypt and called them through the covenant to live in a society built on dignity,
equality and justice. Thus, true faith in God is inseparable from personal holiness
and the search for social justice. More than just worship, sacrifices and burnt
offerings (6:7), God's salvation from slavery and daily humiliation rather demands
that we should ―do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God‖ (cf.
6:8).
In many ways, the situation facing the people of God in the time of Micah can be
compared to the situation of the Dalit community in India. Dalits also face
oppression and injustice from those who wish to deny them their rights and dignity.
Micah compared the greed of those who exploited the poor to those who ―eat the
flesh of my people, flay the skin off them, break their bones in pieces‖ (3:3).
Micah‘s rejection of rituals and sacrifices which were impoverished by a lack of
concern for justice, speaks of God‘s expectation that justice ought to be at the core
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of our religion and rituals. His message is prophetic in a context where
discrimination against the Dalits is legitimized on the basis of religion and notions
of ritual purity and pollution. Faith gains or loses its meaning in relation to justice.
In the contemporary Dalit situation Micah‘s insistence on the moral element of our
faith requires us to ask ourselves what God truly requires of us; mere sacrifices, or
to walk with God in justice and peace.
The path of Christian discipleship involves walking the path of justice, mercy and
humility. The metaphor of ‗walking‘ has been chosen to link together the 8 days of
prayer because, as an active, intentional and ongoing act, the metaphor of walking
communicates the dynamism which characterizes Christian discipleship. Further,
the theme of the tenth assembly of the WCC to be held in Busan, Korea, in 2013 -
‗God of life lead us to Justice and Peace‘ resonates with the image of the
Trinitarian God who accompanies humanity and walks into human history while
inviting all people to walk in partnership.
The 8 subthemes for the week, related to different modes of walking, enable us to
focus on various dimensions of an authentic Christian discipleship which walks the
path of righteousness that leads to life (Prov 12:28a).
Day 1: walking in conversation. We reflect on the importance of the practices of
dialogue and conversation, as a means of overcoming barriers. Both in ecumenism,
and in the struggles for liberation of people across the globe, the skills of speaking
and listening are recognised as essential. In such authentic conversation we can
come to recognise Christ more clearly.
Day 2: walking with the broken body of Christ. Recognising the solidarity between
Christ crucified, and the ―broken peoples‖ of the world, such as the Dalits, we seek
as Christians together to learn to be more deeply a part of this solidarity ourselves.
In particular, the relation of eucharist and justice is opened up, and Christians
invited to discover practical ways of eucharistic living in the world.
Day 3: walking towards freedom. Today we are invited to celebrate the efforts of
communities across our world that are oppressed, like the Dalits in India, as they
protest against all that enslaves human beings. As Christians committed to greater
unity, we learn that the removal of all that separates people from one another is an
essential part of fullness of life, freedom in the Spirit.
Day 4: walking as children of the earth. Awareness of our place in God‘s creation
draws us together, as we realize our interdependence upon one another and the
earth. Contemplating the urgent calls to environmental care, and to proper sharing
and justice with regard to the fruits of the earth, Christians are called into lives of
active witness, in the spirit of the year of Jubilee.
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Day 5: walking as the friends of Jesus. Today we reflect on the biblical images of
human friendship and love as models for God‘s love for every human being.
Understanding ourselves as beloved friends of God has consequences for
relationships within the community of Jesus. Within the Church, all barriers of
exclusion are inconsistent within a community in which all are equally the beloved
friends of Jesus.
Day 6: walking beyond barriers. Walking with God means walking beyond
barriers that divide and damage the children of God. The biblical readings on this
day look at various ways in which human barriers are overcome, culminating in St
Paul‘s teaching that ―As many of you were baptized into Christ have clothed
yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or
free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.‖
Day 7: walking in solidarity. To walk humbly with God means walking in
solidarity with all who struggle for justice and peace. Walking in solidarity has
implications not just for individual believers, but for the very nature and mission of
the whole Christian community. The Church is called and empowered to share the
suffering of all by advocacy and care for the poor, the needy and the marginalised.
Such is implicit in our prayer for Christian unity this week.
Day 8: walking in celebration. The biblical texts on this day speak about
celebration, not in the sense of celebrating a successful completion, but celebration
as a sign of hope in God and in God‘s justice. Similarly, the celebration of the
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is our sign of hope that our unity will be
achieved according to God‘s time and God‘s means.
What God requires of us today is to walk the path of justice, mercy and humility.
This path of discipleship involves walking the narrow path of God‘s reign and not
the highway of today‘s empires. Walking this path of righteousness involves the
hardships of struggle, the isolation which accompanies protest and the risk
associated with resisting ―the powers and principalities‖ (Ep 6:12). This is
especially so when those who speak out for justice are treated as trouble makers
and disrupters of peace. In this context we need to understand that peace and unity
are complete only if founded on justice.
Given the focus of the WPCU on the Dalit communities in India, this walk of
discipleship is metaphorically speaking ‗a walk which is accompanied by the beat
of the Dalit drum‘. Several Dalit communities have been associated with
professional ritual drumming in Indian villages. Dalit drumming not only invokes
the presence of the divine but also enables the safe passage of the community
during times of transition by warding off what is considered to be evil. Today Dalit
drumming has been recovered as a celebration of Dalit culture and identity.
Therefore, when we speak of ‗a walk of discipleship accompanied by the Dalit
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drum‘ we are referring to a form of discipleship which is constantly reminded of
God‘s abiding presence with the most marginalized. It also recalls a form of
discipleship which recognizes the resilient strength of the Dalits in confronting evil
and contributing to the well-being of the wider community. We are reminded of a
form of discipleship which affirms Dalit culture and identity as being unexpected
spaces of the experience of Christ‘s presence (cf. Mt 25:40). Such discipleship will
lead to true solidarity as well as forms of Christian unity which are free from unjust
discrimination and exclusion.
One of the professions associated with certain Dalit communities in India is
‗sewing sandals‘. As one of the means of survival for Dalit communities it
symbolizes their experience of forging together a meaningful existence of
resilience and hope in degrading and dehumanizing conditions. It is the hope of the
daily reflections that the gifts of the Dalit experience of survival amidst struggle
may become for us the sandals which we put on as we seek to walk the path of
righteousness in our own contexts by doing what God requires of us. ‗Any
semblance of a caste-based prejudice in relations between Christians,‘ says the late
Pope John Paul II1, ‗is a countersign to authentic human solidarity, a threat to
genuine spirituality and a serious hindrance to the Church‘s mission of
evangelization‘. May our God of justice, unity and peace enable us to be authentic
signs of human solidarity by strengthening us to do what God requires of us.
1 Papal address to Bishops of Madras-Mylapore, Madurai and Pondicherry-
Cuddalore, 17 November 2003.
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THE PREPARATION OF THE
MATERIAL FOR THE WEEK OF
PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 2013
The original draft of this year‘s Week of Prayer material was prepared by the
Student Christian Movement of India (SCMI), in consultation with the All India
Catholic University Federation (AICUF) and the National Council of Churches in
India (NCCI). We wish to thank all of those who contributed, particularly:
H.E. Metropolitan Dr Geevarghese Mar Coorilos, Chairperson (SCMI) (Malankara
Jacobites Syrian Orthodox Church)
Ms. Bernadine, All India Catholic University Federation (AICUF) (Catholic
Church)
Dr. Aruna Gnanadason, Senior Friend, SCMI (Church of South India)
Dr. Peniel Rufus Rajkumar, United Theological College (Church of South India)
Fr. Vineeth Koshy, National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) (Malankara
Orthodox Syrian Church)
Ms. Anita Hepsibah, SCMI (Church of South India)
Ms. Chrisida Nithyakalyani, SCMI (Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church)
Rev. Raj Bharath Patta, SCMI (Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church).
The texts prepared by this group were finalized by members of the International
Committee nominated by the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of
Churches and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The
International Committee met with members of the Student Christian Movement of
India, and their associates, in September 2011 at Bangalore, India, and wishes to
record its thanks to the SCMI for generously hosting the meeting.
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ECUMENICAL WORSHIP SERVICE
Introduction to the Worship Service
What does God require of us?
(cf. Micah 6: 6-8)
This year‘s worship reflects the youthful character of the Student Christian
Movement of India (SCMI). It takes into account the Dalit reality and offers an
opportunity to share in their spirituality. Particular elements of the service come
from the Indian Dalit context, which include the use of drums, and the bhajan,
which is a local way of singing the lyrics affirming their faith in God. A third
element, which is particular, is the sharing of the faith testimony that illustrates the
Dalit spirituality of striving for justice, loving kindness and walking in dignity with
God (cf. Micah 6:6-8). The service concludes with the sign of sharing, which is
common in Dalit communities—in this case with the sharing of sprouting seeds or
a small sapling symbolising our call to hope and transformation.
Throughout the Week of Prayer, Christians all over the world explore in
ecumenical fellowship what it means to do justice, to love kindness and to walk
humbly with God. This theme is developed over the eight days by the metaphor of
walking. For Dalit communities, the walk towards liberation is inseparable from
the walk towards unity. And so our walk with Dalits this week, and with all who
yearn for justice, is an integral part of prayer for Christian unity.
Christians in India should reject caste divisions, just as Christians worldwide
should not accept the divisions among them: ―Is Christ divided?‖ (1Cor 1:13). For
this reason we gather in worship to pray for that unity which Christ wills for his
Church, and we are called to break down such walls of divisions among and
between us.
Structure of the Service
The order of worship contains six elements: opening, praise and thanksgiving,
confession of sin and assurance, Liturgy of the Word and testimony of faith,
intercessory prayers, benediction and dismissal.
I. The celebration begins with a prelude of the beating of drums, which
symbolises both the celebration of life and of resistance to oppression for the
Dalit communities in India. It marks the resilience of all communities
struggling for justice and liberation all over the world. An example of Dalit
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drums can be found on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HDt7OmzUdw
&feature=related. Those communities which do not have drums may find an
appropriate action or instrument that expresses the same intention. The
resource for the invocation has been taken from the writings of the famous
Indian Noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore. The opening concludes with a
Bhajan, a prayer chant led by a leader and repeated prayerfully by the
assembly (Telugu language). Examples of Bhajan chants may be found on the
internet.
II. Praise and Thanksgiving
III. Confession of sin, Assurance of pardon: As a sign of assurance, the assembly
is invited to walk to share a sign of peace during which instrumental music
can be played.
IV. The Liturgy of the Word begins with the reading of the text for the Week of
Prayer Micah 6:6-8. This is followed by a testimony of faith from a real life
situation of a woman called Sarah from the Dalit community. This incident
took place in 2008 in Khandamal, in Orissa State in central India where for a
month, violence erupted when Christians (largely Dalits) were attacked by
Hindu extremists. Christian places of worship and homes were destroyed.
Orissa is one of the poorest parts of India, traditionally associated with the
most discriminated sections of society. The toll of the violence was 59 deaths,
115 Christian churches were destroyed, homes damaged, and 50 thousand
homeless Christians sought refuge in the forests and later in refugee camps
set up by the Indian government. Some 80-90% of Christians in India are
Dalit converts. Like Sarah, in the story, the majority of Dalits were not given
inducements to become Christian, as is sometimes claimed; large numbers of
Dalits converted when they came to the missions to seek refuge from the
oppressive caste system. They asked for the freedom they believed they could
enjoy under the healing power of God who liberates.
A similar testimony of faith from your context can be offered at this time.
The congregation is then called on to meditate in silence on these testimonies
of faith as we continue to listen to God‘s Word.
V. Prayers of Intercession
VI. Blessing and Dismissal: A typical custom within Dalit communities is the
sharing of food, and so we suggest that there be a common meal at the end of
the worship service.
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Order of the Service
What does God require of us?
(cf. Micah 6: 6-8)
L : Leader
R : Reader
A : Assembly
I. Opening
1. Prelude (With the beating of Dalit Drums or some appropriate music.)
(The Leader offers words of welcome to the assembly.)
2. Call to Worship
L : Jesus said, ―For where two or three are gathered in my name,
I am there among them‖. Let us in silence acknowledge the presence
of the triune God in our midst.
Silence
3. Invocation
R : Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
A : Into that heaven of freedom, let my country awake.
(Rabindranath Tagore)
4. Bhajan
(A prayer chant. Sitting or kneeling. Or another appropriate hymn
or chant could be sung)
Saranam (4)
Divya jyotiye, saranam
Shanthi dathane, saranam
Karuna murthiye, saranam
Saranam, saranam
Meaning:
You are our refuge
Divine light, you are our refuge
Giver of peace, you are our refuge
Lord of mercy, you are our refuge
II. Praise and thanksgiving
(The leader invites people gathered to hold hands to form a human chain of unity
and solidarity as they say these prayers.)
L: We praise you dear God for creating us in all our diversity. For the gift of our
many cultures, languages, diverse expressions of belief, customs, traditions,
and ethnicities we thank you! We thank you for the many church traditions
which have kept our communities strong and active even in places where they
are a minority. Teach us to celebrate our different identities and traditions, so
as to forge bonds of friendship and fellowship leading us to greater unity.
A: How very good and pleasant it is when sisters and brothers live together in unity!
L: We praise you Jesus Christ for reconciling us with God and with one another
through your death and resurrection and teaching us to respect the dignity and
value of all human beings. We thank you for your in-breaking into our lives
everyday calling on us to stand in solidarity with those whose dignity is
broken by political, social and economic structures. Teach us to celebrate the
message of hope that in you we can overcome all that is evil in our world.
A: How very good and pleasant it is when sisters and brothers live together in unity!
L: We praise you Holy Spirit for the gift of mutual interdependence and
solidarity that has been our heritage as peoples and churches. Teach us to
treasure the bonds of unity we enjoy as we beseech your continuing presence
with us. Inspire us on our journey towards full visible unity among us, and
with all those peoples and movements that engage in the struggles for life.
A: How very good and pleasant it is when sisters and brothers live together in unity!
III. Confession of Sin, Assurance of pardon
L: We know that in Christ we are already one. In spite of this, our human
weakness has not always led us to witness to this reality. Let us now confess
our sins of disunity and seek the Lord‘s healing.
Silence
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A: In humility we come to your feet, dear God as we remember our
sinfulness and the disunity for which we have been responsible. We
confess that we preserve the inherited human barriers of caste, class,
ethnicity, power and all things that keep Christians apart. We ask for your
forgiveness that we have often used our history and our past as
churches to discriminate against one another and hurt the unity to which
Christ has called us. Forgive us our disunity and help us to continue to
strive for unity, in the precious name of Jesus your Son. Amen.
Supplication
A: Come now Jesus into our midst and heal us and our disunity. Lead us
into the paths of righteousness so that all can find life.
Come now Jesus into our midst and teach us how to listen to the cries of
those who are pushed into the margins.
Come now Jesus into our midst and inspire us to work together with all
those who strive for liberation so as to build unity within your broken body.
Amen.
Assurance of pardon
L: If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
(The leader invites the assembly to share this assurance of pardon by walking
towards each other and sharing the peace. This may be accompanied by
instrumental music.)
IV. Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Micah 6: 6-8
A testimony of faith
When they came for Sarah Digal, she wasn‘t there. She had fled, five children and
mother-in-law in tow, to the safety of the jungles a kilometre away. So, they set
ablaze all that she had left behind, a framed picture of Jesus, a Bible in Oriya,
utensils in the kitchen, some clothes, mats and linen. By the time Sarah tiptoed
back, when she saw it was safe, her home was gone. What was left was burning
embers, ashes and smoke. The neighbours came to commiserate with her. Sarah
took a good look, stood erect, and pulled her sari firmly over her head. She began
to pray. ―Lord, forgive us our sins. Jesus, you are the only one. Save us from our
misfortune. Free us, Lord.‖ The words were tumbling out. Sarah‘s children slowly
joined her. She was weeping as she pleaded with God for deliverance. Her
neighbours and others around her joined her. It is a simple bond of human
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compassion and a strong reminder that nothing can sever a woman from her God.
―I will die. But I will not stop being a Christian,‖ Sarah said through her tears.‖ A
staunch and brave Dalit Christian woman!
(And another testimony of faith)
L: Let us in silence meditate on these testimonies of faith and courage. As we
commend the faith of our sister Sarah and others, let us be challenged in our
own journeys of faith.
(Silence)
Psalm 86: 11-16
Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
In the path of righteousness there is life.
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name for ever. For great is your steadfast love towards me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
In the path of righteousness there is life.
O God, the insolent rise up against me;
a band of ruffians seeks my life,
and they do not set you before them.
In the path of righteousness there is life.
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant;
save the child of your serving-maid.
In the path of righteousness there is life.
Second Reading: Galatians 3: 26-28
A Gospel Acclamation may be sung.
Gospel: Luke 24: 13-35
An appropriate hymn can be sung.
Homily
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Prayers of Intercession
L: Walking in conversation, let us recognise all the efforts of the ecumenical
movement towards the realisation of the unity willed by Christ for the
Church.
A: Send your Spirit to strengthen our resolve and deepen our conversations
to realise Jesus’ prayer in us.
L: Walking with the broken body of Christ, we are painfully aware that we are
still unable to join in the breaking of bread together. Hasten the day when we
can realise the fullness of fellowship at the Lord‘s table.
A: Inflame in our hearts the desire to overcome all that divides us so that we
can see one Christ in our brokenness.
L: Walking towards freedom, let us remember along with Dalit communities
other people facing similar kinds of discriminations and may the unity of the
Churches be a sign of hope in situations of injustice.
A: Strengthen our churches’ commitment to create spaces in our society and
communities, to enable them to live in dignity and freedom. Allow us to be
transformed by their gifts and presence.
L: Walking as children of earth, we realise that we are pilgrims in the wonderful
gift of creation given to us. Let us respect the earth as your creation and make
us sensitive to the care of it.
A: Let your Spirit renew creation and make us attentive to the suffering of the
landless people who are often the bearers of a tradition of prudent care
of the earth and its resources.
L: Walking as friends of Jesus, let us accompany marginalised communities all
over the world that Jesus chooses to identify with in overcoming centuries of
shame to find freedom and dignity. Let us befriend those friends of Christ,
like the Dalit Christians, who are often persecuted for choosing Christ and
rejecting caste.
A: Enlarge and deepen our fellowship and friendship with you and with each
other so that we will remain faithful and truthful to your calling.
L: Walking beyond barriers, let us build communities of unity and equality.
A: Grant us courage so that we can overcome cultures and structures that
hinder us from recognising the presence of God in each other.
L: Walking in solidarity with women like Sarah and other victims of
discrimination and injustice, let us be shaken out of our apathy.
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A: Encircle us with your love, as we affirm the image of God in each person
we encounter. Enable us to do justice by breaking through social structures of
inequality.
L: Walking in celebration, we come to see that the unity we share within our
communities is a profound witness to the gospel of faith and hope. As we
celebrate that unity, let us also rejoice in our rich diversities that reflect the
life of the Trinity.
A: May we celebrate the wonderful diversity in human life, born from the
struggles for dignity and survival amid oppression, and see in it a sign of
your abiding faithfulness to your people.
In Christ‘s name we raise all these prayers, O God. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer (in our own languages)
Blessing and Dismissal
L: Be present to us, Triune God who nurtures us, to remind us of the purpose
you have for each one of us and our churches.
A: Amen.
L: Walk before us, Triune God who strengthens us, and lead us on the path to
unity.
A: Amen.
L: Call us into abundant life, Triune God who sustains us, as we stand together
and call upon God.
A: Amen.
L: Go out into the world to heal and to be healed.
A: Thanks be to God.
A closing hymn
As a sign of unity in Christ it is suggested that a meal is shared.
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BIBLICAL REFLECTIONS AND
PRAYERS FOR THE ‘EIGHT DAYS’
DAY 1 Walking in conversation
Readings
Genesis 11: 1-9 The story of Babel and legacy of our diversity
Psalm 34:11-18 ―Come...listen‖. God‘s invitation to conversation
Acts 2: 1-12 The outpouring of the Spirit, the gift of understanding
Luke 24: 13-25 Conversation with the Risen Jesus on the road
Commentary
To walk humbly with God means to walk as people speaking with one another and
with the Lord, always attentive to what we hear. And so we begin our celebration
of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity by reflecting on scripture passages
which speak of the essential practice of conversation. Conversation has been
central to the ecumenical movement, as it opens up spaces for learning from one
another, sharing what we have in common, and for differences to be heard and
attended to. In this way mutual understanding is developed. These gifts from the
search for unity are part of our basic call to respond to what God requires of us:
through true conversation justice is done, and kindness learnt. Experiences of
practical liberation from all over the world make clear that the isolation of people
who are made to live with poverty is forcefully overcome by practices of dialogue.
Today‘s Genesis reading, and the story of Pentecost, both reflect something of this
human action, and its place in God‘s liberating plan for people. The story of the
tower of Babel first describes how, where there is no language barrier great things
are possible. However, the story tells how this potential is grasped as a basis for
self-promotion: ―let us make a name for ourselves‖, is the motivation for the
building of the great city. In the end this project leads to a confusion of speech;
from now on we must learn our proper humanity through patient attentiveness to
the other who is strange to us. It is with the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost
that understanding across differences is made possible in a new way, through the
power of Jesus‘ resurrection. Now we are invited to share the gift of speech and
listening orientated toward the Lord, and towards freedom. We are called to walk
in the Spirit.
The experience of the disciples on the road to Emmaus is a conversation taking
place in a context of travel together, but also of loss and disappointed hope. As
churches living with levels of disunity, and as societies divided by prejudices and
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fear of the other we can recognise ourselves here. Yet it is precisely here that Jesus
chooses to join the conversation - not presuming the superior role of teacher, but
walking alongside his disciples. It is his desire to be a part of our conversations,
and our response of wanting him to stay and speak more with us, that enables a
living encounter with the Risen Lord.
All Christians know something of this meeting with Jesus, and the power of his
word ―burning within us‖; this resurrection experience calls us into a deeper unity
in Christ. Constant conversation with each other and with Jesus - even in our own
disorientation - keeps us walking together towards unity.
Prayer
Jesus Christ, we proclaim with joy our common identity in you, and we thank you
for inviting us into a dialogue of love with you. Open our hearts to share more
perfectly in your prayer to the Father that we may be one, so that as we journey
together we may draw closer to each other. Give us the courage to bear witness to
the truth together, and may our conversations embrace those who perpetuate
disunity. Send your Spirit to empower us to challenge situations where dignity and
compassion are lacking in our societies, nations, and the world.
God of life, lead us to justice and peace. Amen
Questions
Where do we practice true conversation, across the various differences that
separate us?
Is our conversation orientated towards some grand project of our own, or
towards new life which brings hope of resurrection?
What people do we converse with, and who is not included in our
conversations? Why?
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DAY 2 Walking with the broken body
of Christ
Readings
Ezekiel 37:1-14 ―Shall these dry bones live?‖
Psalm 22: 1-8 God‘s servant, mocked and insulted, cries out to God
Hebrews 13: 12-16 The call to go to Jesus ―outside the camp‖
Luke 22: 14-23 Jesus breaks the bread, giving the gift of himself
before his suffering
Commentary
To walk humbly with God means hearing the call us to walk out of the places of
our own comfort, and accompany the other, especially the suffering other.
―Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.‖ These words from
Ezekiel give voice to the experience of many people across the globe today. In
India, it is the ―broken people‖ of the Dalit communities whose lives speak vividly
of this suffering - a suffering in which Christ, the crucified one, shares. With
injured people of every time and place, Jesus cries out to the Father: ―My God, my
God, why have you forsaken me?‖
Christians are called into this way of the cross. The Epistle to the Hebrews makes
clear not only the saving reality of Jesus‘ suffering, in the place of the margins, but
also the need for his disciples to go ―outside the camp‖ to join him there. When we
meet those who have been excluded, like the Dalits, and we recognise the crucified
one in their sufferings, the direction we should be going is clear: to be with Christ,
means to be in solidarity with those on the margins whose wounds he shares.
The body of Christ, broken on the cross, is ―broken for you‖. The story of Christ‘s
suffering and death is prefaced by the story of the last supper: it is then celebrated
as victory over death in every eucharist. In this Christian celebration, Christ‘s
broken body is his risen and glorious body; his body is broken so that we can share
his life, and, in him, be one body.
As Christians on the way to unity we can often see the eucharist as a place where
the scandal of our disunity is painfully real, knowing that, as yet, we cannot fully
share this sacrament together as we should. This situation calls us to renewed
efforts towards deeper communion with one another.
Today‘s readings might open up another line of reflection. Walking with Christ‘s
broken body opens up a way to be eucharistic together: to share our bread with the
hungry, to break down the barriers of poverty and inequality - these, too, are
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―eucharistic acts‖, in which all Christians are called to work together. Pope
Benedict XVI frames his reflections on eucharist for the church in just this way:
that it is a sacrament not only to be believed in and celebrated, but also to be lived
(Sacramentum caritatis). In keeping with the Orthodox understanding of ―the
liturgy after the liturgy‖, here it is recognised that there is ―nothing authentically
human‖ that does not find its pattern and life in the eucharist. (SC 71)
Prayer
God of compassion, your Son died on the Cross so that by his broken body our
divisions might be destroyed. Yet we have crucified him again and again with our
disunity, and with systems and practices which obstruct your loving care and
undermine your justice towards those who have been excluded from the gifts of
your creation. Send us your Spirit to breathe life and healing into our brokenness
that we may witness together to the justice and love of Christ. Walk with us
towards that day when we can share in the one bread and the one cup at the
common table. God of life, lead us to justice and peace. Amen.
Questions
In light of that prophetic tradition in which God desires justice, rather than
ritual without righteousness, we need to ask: how is the eucharist, the mystery
of Christ‘s brokenness and new life, celebrated in all the places where we
walk?
What might we do, as Christians together, better to witness to our unity in
Christ in places of brokenness and marginality?
DAY 3 Walking towards freedom
Exodus 1: 15-22 The Hebrew midwives obey God‘s law over the command
of Pharaoh
Psalm 17: 1-6 The confident prayer of one open to God‘s gaze
2 Cor. 3: 17-18 The glorious freedom of God‘s children in Christ
John 4: 4-26 Conversation with Jesus leads the Samaritan woman
into freer living
Commentary
Walking humbly with the Lord is always a walk into receiving the freedom he
opens up before all people. With this in mind we celebrate. We celebrate the
mystery of the struggle for freedom, which takes place even in the places where
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oppression, prejudice and poverty seem to be impossible burdens. The resolute
refusal to accept inhuman commands and conditions - like those given by Pharaoh
to the midwives of the enslaved Hebrew people - can seem like small actions; but
these are often the kinds of actions towards freedom going on in local communities
everywhere. So we celebrate the determination for freedom—in dignity, social
inclusion, and a proper share in all that is good—such as that seen in the Dalit
communities. Such determined journeying towards fuller living presents a gift of
Gospel hope to all people, caught up, in our different ways, within the patterns of
inequality across the globe.
The step by step journey into freedom from unjust discrimination and practices of
prejudice is brought home to us by the story of Jesus‘ meeting at the well with the
woman of Samaria. Here is a woman who seeks, first of all, to question the
prejudices which confront her, as well as to seek ways of alleviating the practical
burdens of her life. These concerns are the starting place for her conversation with
Jesus. Jesus himself engages in conversation with her on the bases both of his need
for her practical help (he is thirsty) and in a mutual exploration of the social
prejudices which make this help seem problematic. Bit by bit the way of a freer life
is opened up before the woman, as the reality of the complexities of her life are
seen more clearly in the light of Jesus‘ words. In the end these personal insights
return the conversation to a place where what divides these two groups of people -
where they should worship - is transcended. ―Worship in spirit and in truth‖ is
what is required; and here we learn to be free from all that holds us back from life
together, life in its fullness.
To be called into greater freedom in Christ, is a calling to deeper communion.
Those things which separate us - both as Christians searching for unity, and as
people kept apart by unjust traditions and inequalities - keep us captives, and
hidden from one another. Our freedom in Christ is, rather, characterised by that
new life in the Spirit, which enables us, together, to stand before the glories of God
―with unveiled faces‖. It is in this glorious light that we learn to see each other
more truly, as we grow in Christ‘s likeness towards the fullness of Christian unity.
Prayer
Liberating God, we thank you for the resilience and hopeful faith of those who
struggle for dignity and fullness of life. We know that you raise up those who are
cast down, and free those who are bound. Your Son Jesus walks with us to show us
the path to authentic freedom. May we appreciate what has been given to us, and
be strengthened to overcome all within us that enslaves. Send us your Spirit so that
the truth shall set us free, so that with voices united we can proclaim your love to
the world. God of life, lead us to justice and peace. Amen.
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Questions
Are there times, even in our own Christian communities, when the prejudices
and judgments of the world, - with regard to caste, age, gender, race,
educational background - stop us seeing each other clearly in the light of God‘s
glory?
What small, practical steps can we take, as Christians together, towards the
freedom of the Children of God (Romans 8.21) for our churches, and for wider
society?
DAY 4 Walking as children of the earth
Leviticus 25: 8-17 The land is for the common good, not personal gain
Psalm 65: 5b-13 The fruitful outpouring of God‘s grace on the earth
Romans 8: 18-25 The longing of all creation for redemption
John 9: 1-11 Jesus‘ healing, mud, bodies and water
Commentary
If we are to walk in humility with God, we will need always to be aware of
ourselves as part of creation, and recipients of God‘s gifts. There is a growing
recognition in today‘s world that better understanding of our authentic place in
creation must become a priority for us. Among Christians, especially, there is a
growing awareness of the ways in which ecological concern is a part of ―walking
humbly with God‖, the creator; for all we have is given by God in his creation, and
so is not ―ours‖ to do with as we wish. It is for this reason that from 1 September to
4 October Christians are called to observe the Time for Creation—a practice
increasingly observed by many churches. In 1989 the Ecumenical Patriarch,
Dimitrios I, proclaimed 1 September as a day of prayer for the environment. The
Orthodox Church‘s liturgical year starts on that day with a commemoration of
God‘s creation of the world. On 4 October, many churches from the Western
traditions commemorate Francis of Assisi, the author of the ―Canticle of Creation‖.
The beginning and closing of the Time for Creation are thus linked with the
concern for creation in the Eastern and the Western traditions of Christianity,
respectively.
The Christian story is one of redemption for all creation; it is creation‘s own story.
The belief that, in Jesus, God becomes a human person, in a particular place and
time is a central belief around which all Christians gather. It is a shared belief in
the Incarnation which carries with it a profound recognition of the importance of
creation - of bodies, food, earth, water, and all that feeds our life as people on the
planet. Jesus is fully part of this world. It may be slightly shocking to hear how
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Jesus heals using his spittle and the dust from the earth; but it is true to this real
sense of the created world as integral to God‘s bringing us to new life.
Across the world the earth is often worked by the poorest people, who frequently
do not themselves share in the fruitfulness that results; such is the experience of
many Dalits in India. At the same time it is the Dalit communities who have a
particular care for the earth, as the practical wisdom of working the land is shown
forth in their labours.
Care of the earth includes basic questions of how human beings are to live within
creation, in ways which are more fully human for all. That the earth - its working
and ownership - should so often be a source of economic inequalities, and
degrading work practices is a cause for great concern and action for Christians
together. The covenantal recognition of these dangers of exploitation with regard to
the earth is spoken about in Leviticus‘ instructions concerning the Year of Jubilee:
the land and its fruits are not given to be an opportunity for ―taking advantage of
one another‖, rather the working of the land is for the benefit of all. This is not just
a ―religious idea‖; it is tied to very real economic and business practices
concerning how the land is managed, bought and sold.
Prayer
God of life, we thank you for the earth, and for those who care for it and bring
forth its fruits. May the Spirit, the giver of life, help us to recognise that we are part
of creation‘s web of relationships. May we learn to cherish the earth and listen to
creation‘s groaning. May we truly walk together in the steps of Christ, bringing
healing to all that wounds this earth, and ensuring a just sharing of the things that it
brings forth.
God of life, lead us to justice and peace. Amen.
Questions
Today‘s readings invite Christians into a deep unity of action in common
concern for the earth. Where do we practice the spirit of the year of Jubilee in
our life as Christians together?
Where, in our Christian communities, are we complicit with things that degrade
and exploit the earth? Where can we work more together in learning and
teaching reverence for God‘s creation?
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DAY 5 Walking as the friends of Jesus
Readings
Song of Solomon 1.5-8 Love and the beloved
Psalm 139.1-6 You have searched me out and known me
3 John 2-8 Hospitality to friends in Christ
John 15.12-17 I call you friends
Commentary
To walk humbly with God does not mean walking alone. It means walking with
those who are those vital signs of God‘s presence among us, our friends. ―But I
have called you friends‖ says Jesus in John‘s Gospel. Within the freedom of love,
we are able to choose our friends, and to be chosen as a friend. ―You did not
choose me, but I chose you‖ Jesus says to each of us. Jesus‘ friendship with each of
us transfigures and transcends our relationships with family and society. It speaks
of God‘s deep and abiding love for us all.
The Bible‘s love poem, the Song of Solomon, has been interpreted in various ways
such as the love of God for Israel, or the love of Christ for the Church. It remains
the testimony of passion between lovers which transcends the imposed boundaries
of society. While the lover says to her beloved ―I am black and beautiful‖, her
words come with the plea ―do not gaze at me because I am dark.‖ But the lover
does gaze, and chooses love, as does God in Christ. Dalits know that when God
gazes upon them it is with this same passionate love. When Christ says to Dalits ―I
have called you friends‖ it is a form of liberation from the inhumanity and injustice
inflicted upon them by the caste system. In India today, it is a costly response for a
Dalit to become a friend of Jesus.
What does the Lord require of those called to walk with Jesus and his friends? In
India it is a call to the churches to embrace the Dalits as equal friends of their
common friend. Such a call to be friends with the friends of Jesus is another way of
understanding the unity of Christians for which we pray this week. Christians
around the world are called to be friends with all those who struggle against
discrimination and injustice. The walk towards Christian unity requires that we
walk humbly with God with—and as—the friends of Jesus.
Prayer
Jesus, from the first moment of our being you offered us your friendship. Your
love embraces all peoples, especially those who are excluded or rejected because
of human constructions of caste, race or colour. Filled with the confidence and
assurance of our dignity in you, may we walk in solidarity towards each other, and
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embrace each other in the Spirit, as children of God. God of life, lead us to justice
and peace. Amen.
Questions
Who are those in your communities whom Christ calls into your friendship?
What prevents the friends of Jesus from being friends with one another?
How does being the friends of the same Jesus challenge the divided churches?
DAY 6 Walking beyond barriers
Readings
Ruth 4.13-18 The offspring of Ruth and Boaz
Psalm 113 God the helper of the needy
Ephesians 2.13-16 Christ has broken down the dividing wall between us
Matthew 15.21-28 Jesus and the Canaanite woman
Commentary
To walk humbly with God means walking beyond barriers that divide and damage
the children of God. Christians in India are aware of the divisions among
themselves. The treatment of Dalits within the churches and between them is a
church-dividing issue that betrays the biblical vision of that unity for which we
pray this week. St Paul lived with the devastating divisions in the earliest Christian
community between Gentile and Jewish Christians. To this barrier and to every
subsequent one, Paul proclaims that Christ ―is our peace; in his flesh he has made
both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall between us.‖
Elsewhere Paul writes, ―As many of you were baptized into Christ have clothed
yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or
free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus‖
(Galatians 3.27-28). In Christ, all the deep barriers of the ancient world—and their
modern successors—have been removed because on the Cross Jesus created in
himself one new humanity.
In a world in which religious barriers are often difficult to cross, Christians who
are a tiny minority in the multi-religious context of India remind us of the
importance of interreligious dialogue and cooperation. Matthew‘s Gospel tells of
the difficult journey for Jesus—and his disciples— to cross the barriers of religion,
culture and gender when he is confronted by a Canaanite woman who pleads with
Jesus to cure her daughter. The disciples‘ visceral instinct to send her away and
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Jesus‘ own hesitation are overcome by her faith, and by her need. From hence
Jesus and his disciples were able to cross the imposed human barriers and
boundaries of the ancient world. Such is already present in the Hebrew Bible. The
book of Ruth, the Moabite woman of a different culture and religion, concludes
with a list of her offspring with the Israelite Boaz. Their child Obed was the father
of Jesse, the father of David. The ancestry of the hero-King of ancient Israel
reflects the fact that God‘s will may be fulfilled when people cross the barriers of
religion and culture. The walk with God today requires that we cross the barriers
that separate Christians from one another and from people of other faiths. The walk
towards Christian unity requires walking humbly with God beyond the barriers that
separate us from one another.
Prayer
Father, forgive us for the barriers of greed, prejudice, and contempt that we
continually build which separate us within and between churches, from people of
other faiths, and from those we consider to be less important than us. May your
Spirit give us courage to cross these boundaries, and to tear down the walls that
disconnect us from each other. Then with Christ may we step forth into unknown
terrain, to carry his message of loving acceptance and unity to all the world. God of
life, lead us to justice and peace. Amen.
Questions
What are the barriers that separate Christians in your community?
What are the barriers that separate Christians from other religious traditions in
your community?
What are the differences and similarities between walking beyond the barriers
that separate Christians from one another, and walking beyond those between
Christianity and other religions?
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DAY 7 Walking in solidarity
Readings
Numbers 27.1-11 The right of inheritance to daughters
Psalm 15 Who shall abide in God‘s sanctuary?
Acts 2.43-47 The disciples held all things in common
Luke 10.25-37 The Good Samaritan
Commentary
To walk humbly with God means walking in solidarity with all who struggle for
justice and peace. This poses a question for those who pray for the unity of
Christians this week: what is the unity we seek? The Faith and Order Commission,
which includes the members of the fellowship of the World Council of Churches as
well as the Catholic Church, understands unity as ―visible unity in one faith and in
one Eucharistic fellowship.‖ The ecumenical movement is dedicated to overcome
the historic and current barriers that divide Christians, but it does so with a vision
of visible unity that links the nature and mission of the Church in the service of the
unity of humankind and the overcoming of all that harms the dignity of human
beings and keeps us apart. As Faith and Order has said:
The Church is called and empowered to share the suffering of all by advocacy and
care for the poor, the needy and the marginalised. This entails critically analysing
and exposing unjust structures, and working for their transformation... This faithful
witness may involve Christians themselves in suffering for the sake of the
Gospel.The Church is called to heal and reconcile broken human relationships and
to be God‘s instrument in the reconciliation of human division and hatred (Nature
and Mission of the Church).
There are many examples of such acts of healing and reconciliation by the Indian
churches. Dalit Christians remind us of other kinds of injustice and the ways in
which they are overcome. Until very recently, Christian inheritance laws in India
disempowered daughters. The churches supported the demand for a repeal of this
archaic law. The story of the daughters of Zelophehad, in which Moses turned to
God for justice in support of the rights of the daughters, was invoked to demand
justice for women. Thus, Dalit Christians have been moved in their struggles for
justice by such biblical witness. They have engaged with Dalits of other faiths and
with secular networks and social movements in India and all over the world in their
resistance to injustice. Dalits have been inspired in their struggle for justice by the
examples of other movements for social reform.
A biblical image of Church united in solidarity with the oppressed is Jesus‘s
parable of the Good Samaritan. Like the Dalits, the Good Samaritan is from a
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despised and outcast community, who is the one in the story who cares for the man
abandoned by the wayside, and who proclaims by his solidarity in action, the hope
and comfort of the Gospel. The walk towards Christian unity is inseparable from
walking humbly with God in solidarity with any and all in need of justice and
kindness.
Prayer
Triune God, in your very life you offer us a unique pattern of interdependence,
loving relationships and solidarity. Unite us to live our lives in this way. Teach us
to share the hope that we find in people who struggle for life all over the world.
May their endurance inspire us to overcome our own divisions, to live in holy
accord with one another, and to walk together in solidarity. God of life, lead us to
justice and peace. Amen.
Questions
Who in your community stands in need of the solidarity of the Christian
community?
What churches are, or have been in solidarity with you?
In what ways would more visible Christian unity enhance the Church‘s
solidarity with those who stand in need of justice and kindness in your context?
DAY 8 Walking in celebration
Readings
Habakkuk 3.17-19 Celebrating in a time of hardship
Psalm 100 The worship of God through all the earth
Philippians 4.4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always
Luke 1:46-55 The Song of Mary
Commentary
To walk humbly with God means to walk in celebration. The visitor to India is
struck by the hardships and struggles endured by Dalits, but at the same time by
their sense of hope and celebration. There was a slum on railway land near
Bangalore that was inhabited largely by Dalits and other ―backward classes‖ who
were migrant workers from Tamilnadu who came to build the original railways
before Indian independence. After the community was threatened by expulsion by
the railway company in the early 1980s, the community—through its women‘s
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leadership—organized itself in such a way that it was able to find new land, and
build permanent housing for nearly a thousand people. The community of Dalits
and others moved into their new homes in 2011, homes paid for by themselves.
This is but one instance of struggle against injustice carried out with great hope,
which calls forth celebration.
Hope and celebration occur together in today‘s biblical readings. The prophet
Habakkuk rejoices in the Lord at a time of drought and crop failure. Such
testimony that God will walk with his people in their difficulties is a celebration of
hope. The Blessed Virgin Mary walks to her cousin Elizabeth in order to celebrate
her pregnancy. She sings her Magnificat as a song of hope even before the birth of
her child. And from prison, Paul exhorts the Christian community at Philippi to
celebration: ―Rejoice in the Lord always.‖ In the Bible, celebration is linked to
hope in God‘s faithfulness.
The celebratory aspects of Dalit culture bear similar testimony to a gospel of faith
and hope, forged out of the crucible of the Dalit experience of struggle for dignity
and resilient survival. As we pray for Christian unity this week, we turn to the
celebration of life that we see in India with focus on the faithfulness of Dalits to
their Christian identity in the context of their struggles for life. Our celebration for
a unity among Christians which has yet to be achieved likewise occurs in hope and
struggle. It is grounded in hope that Christ‘s prayer that we may be one will be
achieved in God‘s time and through God‘s means. It is grounded in gratitude that
unity is God‘s gift, and in recognition of the unity we already experience as the
friends of Jesus, expressed in one baptism. It is grounded in the conviction that
God calls each of us to work for that unity, and that all our efforts will be used by
God, trusting with St Paul ―in everything by prayer and thanksgiving let your
requests be made known to God.‖ The walk towards Christian unity requires that
we walk humbly with God in celebration, in prayer, and in hope.
Prayer
Gracious God, may your Holy Spirit fill our communities with joy and celebration,
so that we can cherish the unity we already share, and zealously continue in the
search for visible unity. We rejoice in the faith and hope of peoples who refuse to
allow their dignity to be diminished, seeing in them your wonderful grace and your
promise of freedom. Teach us to share in their joy and learn from their faithful
endurance. Rekindle our hope and sustain our resolve, that in Christ‘s name we
may walk together in love, raising a united voice of praise, and singing together
one prayer of adoration.
God of life, lead us to justice and peace. Amen.
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Questions
What are the struggles towards justice in your community? What are the causes
for celebration on the way?
What are the struggles towards Christian unity in your community? What are
the causes for celebration along the way?
INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIANITY
IN INDIA: THE CONTEXT
FOR THE CHURCHES2
The churches in India have had a complex and rich history. The Christian
population continues to be significantly engaged in the life of the nation, especially
in the areas of education and health care, a heritage from the Christian missionary
movement which began in the 1500s. Through these services and through
conversions to Christianity, the major contribution made by the missions was to
empower the socially discriminated sections of Indian society to gain dignity and
self respect. Christianity is India's third-largest religion with approximately 24
million followers, constituting roughly 2.3% of India's population of 1.2 billion
people. These are the figures based on the 2001 census – the findings of the 2011
census which is ongoing suggests a marginal increase in the number of Christians
in India. Of the Christian population the largest number adhere to the Roman
Catholic Church. Churches in the Eastern tradition include the Malankara
Orthodox Syrian Church, the Malabar Independent Syrian Church, the Malankara
Jacobite Syrian Church, the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian, and the Syro-Malabar
Catholic Church Church which are prominent in Kerala. Major Protestant
denominations include the Church of South India (CSI), the Church of North
India (CNI), Presbyterians, Baptists, Lutherans and evangelical communities.
There has been recent contestation of the way in which the history of the Indian
churches has been depicted – as having their origins in the Western Missionary
movements. Based on the assumption sometimes made that in recent years the
centre of Christianity is ―moving to the South‖, Ninan Koshy writes: ―Those who
say that the ‗day of Southern Christianity is dawning‘ are apparently oblivious of
2 This text is reproduced under the sole authority and responsibility of the
ecumenical group in India which came together to write the source texts for the
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2013.
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the fact that the dawn of Christianity was in the South… What is happening is not
the extension of a Western religion but the renaissance of a religion that is Asian in
its origin and early history.‖3
According to the tradition of the Mar Thoma or ―Church of Thomas,‖ St Thomas
evangelized along the Malabar Coast of Kerala State in southwest India. He
reputedly preached to all classes of people and had about seventeen thousand
converts, including members of the four principal castes. According to legend, St
Thomas was martyred at Chennai, and his tomb is now the site of San Thome
Cathedral. Koshy quotes the renowned Asian historian K.M. Panikkar who had
said that, ―Christianity has existed in different parts of Persia, India and China
from the earliest times. The Church in Malabar claims apostolic origin from St.
Thomas, and in any case its existence is attested by outside authority as early as
AD 182‖.
Those early Indian Christians who came in contact with that East Syrian (Persian)
tradition are today called the Church of the East or the Chaldean Church. There is
later evidence that Nestorian Christians, who flourished in Persia, reached China in
the seventh century.4 From this it can be deduced that Nestorian merchants and
missionaries, and others from Syria, came to India in those early centuries. This is
the origin of the Orthodox churches in India, which have remained a strong and
faithful presence in India. In the centuries that followed, other groups from Syria,
Persia and Babylonia increased the Christian presence, while the first Roman
Catholic missionary, Jordanus Catalani, established a diocese in the early
fourteenth century.
Mission history and the anticipation of the ecumenical movement
As mentioned above, the other significant stream of Indian Christianity is
connected with missionary activity that coincided with the colonization project and
the establishment of European powers in India. Roman Catholic Missionary
activity began under the Portuguese colonists in the late 15th
century, and
continued under figures such as St Francis Xavier and his fellow Jesuits. While the
first Protestant mission came to India at Tranquebar in 1706, the nineteenth century
saw the significant development of Protestant missions. It is generally agreed that
the Western missionary movement made a significant contribution to the growth of
Christianity in India.
3 Ninan Koshy, A History of the Ecumenical Movement in Asia, Volume I, (Hong
Kong: Christian Conference of Asia, Asia-Pacific WSCF, 2004). p.6 4 Ibid, p.10
33
Mission history in India is a complex mosaic – not least because of the vastness of
the country and the multiplicity of mission agencies who tried to establish
themselves here. Each came with their preconceptions and doctrinal differences, as
well their own relationships with colonizing powers. However, having started with
a single minded intention to evangelize, the missions soon recognized that they
also needed to transmit education and skills to local populations as well as engage
in the development of the people who sought conversion to the Christian faith. The
early efforts of the missionary movement to deliver health to the people became
the model for the country‘s health care systems after India gained independence in
1948.
Through its support of the missionaries‘ educational programmes, the colonial
government sought to create orderly and disciplined citizens who could staff its
administrative apparatus. However, the cultural and social effects of missionary
preaching and community building, included an emphasis on human rights,
sometimes aided by the missionaries themselves. These efforts contributed to the
formation of an Indian people who felt themselves able to criticize existing systems
and to protest against the injustice of colonial rule, culminating in a freedom
struggle from colonialism.
It is important to mention, in addition, the phenomenal growth of Christianity and
the establishment of churches in North East India which covers seven states to the
north and east of Bangladesh and is linked to the rest of India through the state of
West Bengal. In these states 90 percent of the population of Nagaland, 87 percent
of Mizoram and 71 per cent of Meghalaya is Christian. With the support and
backing of the colonial rulers, the American Baptist Mission and the Welsh
Presbyterian Mission began their work in around 1816 among the predominantly
tribal (or indigenous) populations who live in this region. Today two thirds of the
Christians in these states trace their origins to these two missions. Roman Catholic
missionaries arrived there in 1850, and over the centuries have contributed to the
development of the educational infrastructure of the region. In the period after the
Second World War, Pentecostals and similar groups and missions arrived in the
region influencing forms of worship and spirituality in these states. The
development of indigenous ecclesiastical structures in this region with the
exclusion of foreign missionaries by the Indian government in this politically
sensitive region has ensured the development of a Christianity rooted in the culture
of the Indigenous peoples. The North East India Christian Council and the National
Council of Churches in India have contributed to ecumenical efforts in this region.
Another state where the Christian population is strong is Kerala, where roughly
twenty per cent of the people are Christian. Among them, up to three million
believers are Orthodox Christians. From the fourth century onwards, these
Christians had links with the Syrian Patriarchate of Antioch, from which the West
34
Syriac liturgical and ecclesial order of the Syrian Orthodox tradition came into
being in India. Those who maintain this link belong to the Malankara Jacobite
Syrian Orthodox Church. Other Orthodox Christians maintain that the Antiochian
connection began only in the sixteenth century; those who hold this position form
the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, (also known as the Indian Orthodox
Church) which became an autocephalous church with the establishment of an
Indian Catholicate in 1912. In the sixteenth century Roman Catholic missionaries
reached Kerala, and established the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. Under the
influence of Protestant missionaries working among the Syrian Christians, the Mar
Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar emerged as a distinct community in the early
nineteenth century.
The ecumenical movement in India
The missionary movement in India can be said to have impacted the ecumenical
movement in two ways with very different outcomes. Firstly, it gave rise to the
longing for unity and joint action among the churches. The growth of the world-
wide ecumenical movement led to important ecumenical developments in India
too, notable among which was the birth of the Church of South India in 1947 – the
first expression of organic union of churches anywhere in the world – and some
years later the formation of the Church of North India. It also introduced other
important ecumenical instruments – the Young Men‘s Christian Association, the
Young Women‘s Christian Association, the National Council of Churches in India
and the Catholic Bishops‘ Conference of India, as well as the Student Christian
Movement and the All India Catholic University Federation. But secondly, it also
brought to India inherited denominational identities. ―The sad thing is that, before
becoming first a confessing Church in the missionary situation, the younger
churches were prematurely projected into a ―confessional‖ situation which was not
their own, before they became a Community of Christ they were told to become a
Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist or Anglican church.‖5
In 1965, the Second Vatican Council ushered in a new spirit of dialogue between
the Roman Catholic Church and the other churches that increased cooperation
between them in India too. The Catholic Bishops‘ Conference in India works
closely with the National Council of Churches, particularly in relating with the
government. Today, they lobby for government intervention when Christians are
5 Hans-Ruedi Weber, Out of all Continents and Nations: A Review of Regional
Developments in the Ecumenical Movement, A History of the Ecumenical
Movement Volume 2, 1948-1968, Ed. Harold C.Fey (Geneva: World Council of
Churches, 1970). p.72-73
35
targeted in communal riots; they work together on legislation to protect minority
rights, which include the rights of Dalit Christians, and freedom of religion.
As churches around the world prepare for the celebration of the Week of Prayer for
Christian Unity in 2013, the churches in India mark two important ecumenical
milestones of their own. One hundred years ago in 1912, the Student Christian
Movement of India (SCMI), the oldest youth ecumenical organization of university
students in India, began when a group of university students gathered for an All
India Students Conference arranged by the Young Men‘s Christian Association
(YMCA) at the Serampore College in West Bengal. Members of the Indian YMCA
decided to create a separate unit for university students. Following discussions at
the Serampore meeting, an organization for Indian university students, independent
of the YMCA was born. For the past hundred years the SCM India has served a
fellowship of students, teachers and senior friends with a commitment to translate
Christian faith into action. Spread across thirteen geographical regions of the
country, SCMI has throughout its existence inspired students to participate in the
transformation of church and society. The SCMI has nurtured values of
ecumenism, unity, justice and peace. It has shaped young leaders with the qualities
of integrity and commitment. The SCMI encourages partnership with all church
traditions, people of all faiths, and with other youth ecumenical organizations such
as the YWCA, the YMCA, and the All India Catholic University Federation
(AICUF). It is affiliated to the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF).
In preparing the materials for the 2013 WPCU, the youth department of the National
Council of Churches in India (NCCI) was an important partner. The NCCI is the
united expression of the Protestant and Orthodox churches in India and represents 13
million Christians throughout the country. It provides a platform for thought and
action by bringing together the Churches and other Christian organizations for
mutual consultation, assistance and action in all matters related to Christian life and
witness in India. Orthodox Christians have played a pivotal role in the ecumenical
movement in India. Significantly, the NCCI also celebrates its centenary in 2014.
The Council and its members have been actively engaged in nation building over
these 100 years. It is an autonomous Council which embraces, promotes and
coordinates the various ministries of the churches. The NCCI Youth Commission
promotes the ecumenical and interreligious activities at a national level.
The third partner in the preparation of the WPCU materials is the All India
Catholic University Federation which is a movement of Catholic students with a
vision of a new and just society. Founded in 1915 as the Catholic Young Men‘s
Guild (CYMG), it became the AICUF in 1949 as a national student movement. It is
recognised by the Catholic Bishops‘ Conference of India and is affiliated to the
Pax Romana, the International Movement of Catholic Students. Over the years the
AICUF has gone through a history of constant rediscovery and re-creation, as it
36
seeks to address the emerging needs and realities of university, church and the
wider Indian society. AICUF has also worked with the SCM and other youth
movements in India on issues that affect the life of the nation.
Becoming the Church in India
There are two critical issues facing the Christianity in India: casteism and identity.
Casteism, both within and between the churches poses severe challenges for the
unity of Christians in India and therefore, for the moral and ecclesial witness of the
Church as the one body of Christ. As a church-dividing issue, casteism is
consequently an acute doctrinal issue. Accordingly, this issue has been chosen to
highlight the ways in which the quest for justice and peace is intrinsic to prayer for
Christian unity.
The Indian churches of mission origin have struggled to break away from their
missionary past and assert their own identity and calling as an Indian church. The
Indian Ecumenist M.M. Thomas, recognizing the inevitable link with western
culture because of the years of colonial rule, affirms that as Christians in India we
are called to critical engagement with the national aspirations of our nation, as
churches together: ―Christians need not be apologetic about their connection with
western culture. But Christians have to be apologetic about their uncritical
approach to western culture. Today, when our national goals are western, we are
not able to evaluate them critically in the name of Christ. Our contribution to
―secular‖ ecumenism thus depends on our having a ―Christian‖ ecumenism
ourselves.6
The churches in India have attempted to define what this means to their life and
witness in a multi religious context where, Christians are a very small minority.
Situated in the midst of great living faiths, Christians in India have contributed
significantly by providing skilled leadership and theological freshness to
ecumenical discussions on dialogue and cooperation with people of other faiths.
Reading church history from the view of the majority in the Church
The most significant contribution of the missionary movement in terms of
conversions to Christianity was the way in which many of the poor and outcaste in
India experienced conversion to Christ as freedom from religious and ritual
discrimination. At a recent international colloquium, Prof. Dr. Susie Tharu, an
eminent writer, and social scientist declared that ―the genius of the Indian church is
6 MM Thomas, The Common Evangelistic Task of the Churches in Asia, Papers
and Minutes of the EACC. Prapat, Indonesia, 1957, Quoted by Koshy, op cit. p. 28
37
its Dalitness‖.7 It is said that 80-90% of the Indian church are of Dalit origin. In
some parts of India 100% Christians are Dalit converts.
On the one hand, the issue of conversion is a challenge in the global arena, where
inter-religious relations must be balanced with the call to proclaim the Gospel.
Dalits in India, on the other hand, would claim that Dalit conversion from
Hinduism has been an important form of Dalit dissent. At the outset of World War
I approximately one million of the Christians in India were Dalits, today it is
approximately twenty-four million. Conversions to Christianity, often done at the
behest of oppressed outcaste groups themselves, challenged not just the upper caste
Hindus, but also upper caste converts to Christianity, and even the missionaries
themselves.8 Unhappily, this history has received little attention: ―Dalit Christian
history was only a very minor sub-plot in the much larger stories of either missions
or churches...‖9
7 Susie Tharu in her valedictory address at a International Colloquium on Caste,
Religion and Culture, organized by the World Council of Churches, the Centre for
Social Studies and Culture, the National Council of Churches in India and the
Student Christian Movement of India in Cochin, Kerala from 1-4 May 2011. It is
important to briefly define who a Dalit is in India. The caste structure of Hinduism
is four tiered and hierarchical – the Brahmins or priestly caste; the Kshatriyas or
rules and warriors; the Vaishyas or the merchants; and the Shudras or the
labourers. The first three are the ritually pure and socio-economically dominant or
the twice born. The fourth are ritually suspect and socio-economically dominated
and are the once born. Outside this structure are the 160-180 million in India alone,
who are branded as the ―Outcastes‖, the ―Untouchables‖, the ―Exterior caste‖, the
―Depressed caste‖ or the ―Pariah‖ – or the Dalits or ―broken people‖. The term
Dalits, is used not to signify another caste identity but rather aspires to name an
anti-caste collective movement. For this explanation see the article by Sathianathan
Clarke, ―Dalit theology: An Introductory and Interpretive Theological Exposition,
in Dalit Theology in the Twenty-first Century, Discordant Voices, Discerning
Pathways. Ed. Sathianathan Clarke, Deenabandhu Manchala and Philip Vinod
Peacock, (New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2010), p. 4-5 8 See for instance Stanley, Brian, 2009, The World Missionary Conference,
Edinburgh, 1910, Studies in the History of Christian Missions, William B.
Eerdmann‘s Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan/Cambridge, UK.
p.153-154 9 Webster John C.B., ―Dalit Christian History: Themes And Trends‖, Paper
presented at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Department of History, February
2011, New Delhi. Manuscript. John Webster has written extensively on Dalit
38
Dalits continue to experience oppression and exclusion, to the extent where they
can recognize a greater sense of identity and common struggle with Dalits of other
faiths than within the Christian community. Like the struggle against apartheid in
South Africa, this scandal must challenge all Christians to ask themselves about the
limits and integrity of their commitment to Christian unity.
The churches stay committed
In the midst of the many challenges, the churches in India have tried to stay true to
their course and are slowly growing – as they continue to strengthen ecumenical
partnerships and forge new areas of ministry. To be a minority has sometimes
pushed the churches into a survival mode rather than to conscious and bold
affirmations of their witness in India. Christian presence in India has to be built as
―the future of the hopeless... The Cross of Christ, the community of the suffering
Christ and the sign of the oppressed creation show us the place of Christian
presence.‖10
Christian history including a path breaking book The Dalit Christians: A History,
1992, (which has gone into a third edition). Edwin Ellen Press, San Francisco. 10
Jurgen Moltmann, Theology Today, Vol 28 No. 1, April 1971, 6-23. Princeton
Theological Seminary, Westminster John Knox Press, USA
39
WEEK OF PRAYER
FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
Themes 1968-2013
In 1968, materials jointly prepared by the WCC Faith and Order Commission
and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity were first used.
1968 To the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:14)
Pour la louange de sa gloire
1969 Called to freedom (Galatians 5:13)
Appelés à la liberté
(Preparatory meeting held in Rome, Italy)
1970 We are fellow workers for God (1 Corinthians 3:9)
Nous sommes les coopérateurs de Dieu
(Preparatory meeting held at the Monastery of Niederaltaich,
Federal Republic of Germany)
1971 ...and the communion of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:13)
...et la communion du Saint-Esprit
1972 I give you a new commandment (John 13:34)
Je vous donne un commandement nouveau
(Preparatory meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland)
1973 Lord, teach us to pray (Luke 11:1)
Seigneur, apprends-nous à prier
(Preparatory meeting held at the Abbey of Montserrat, Spain)
1974 That every tongue confess: Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:1-13)
Que tous confessent : Jésus-Christ est Seigneur
(Preparatory meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland)
1975 God‘s purpose: all things in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-10)
La volonté du Père : Tout réunir sous un seul chef, le Christ
(Material from an Australian group. Preparatory meeting held in Geneva,
Switzerland)
1976 We shall be like him (1 John 3:2) or, Called to become what we are
Appelés a devenir ce que nous sommes
(Material from Caribbean Conference of Churches.
Preparatory meeting held in Rome, Italy)
40
1977 Enduring together in hope (Romans 5:1-5)
L‘espérance ne déçoit pas
(Material from Lebanon, in the midst of a civil war.
Preparatory meeting held in Geneva)
1978 No longer strangers (Ephesians 2:13-22)
Vous n‘êtes plus des étrangers
(Material from an ecumenical team in Manchester, England)
1979 Serve one another to the glory of God (l Peter 4:7-11)
Soyez au service les uns des autres pour la gloire de Dieu
(Material from Argentina - preparatory meeting held in Geneva,
Switzerland)
1980 Your kingdom come (Matthew 6:10)
Que ton règne vienne!
(Material from an ecumenical group in Berlin, German Democratic
Republic -preparatory meeting held in Milan)
1981 One Spirit - many gifts - one body (1 Corinthians 12:3b-13)
Un seul esprit - des dons divers - un seul corps
(Material from Graymoor Fathers, USA – preparatory meeting held in
Geneva, Switzerland)
1982 May all find their home in you, O Lord (Psalm 84)
Que tous trouvent leur demeure en Toi, Seigneur
(Material from Kenya - preparatory meeting held in Milan, Italy)
1983 Jesus Christ - the Life of the World (1 John 1:1-4)
Jesus Christ - La Vie du Monde
(Material from an ecumenical group in Ireland - preparatory meeting held
in Céligny (Bossey), Switzerland)
1984 Called to be one through the cross of our Lord (1 Cor 2:2 and Col 1:20)
Appelés à l‘unité par la croix de notre Seigneur
(Preparatory meeting held in Venice, Italy)
1985 From death to life with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-7)
De la mort à la vie avec le Christ
(Material from Jamaica - preparatory meeting held in Grandchamp,
Switzerland)
41
1986 You shall be my witnesses (Acts 1:6-8)
Vous serez mes témoins
(Material from Yugoslavia (Slovenia), preparatory meeting held in
Yugoslavia)
1987 United in Christ - a New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17-6:4a)
Unis dans le Christ - une nouvelle création
(Material from England, preparatory meeting held in Taizé, France)
1988 The love of God casts out fear (1 John 4:18)
L‘Amour de Dieu bannit la Crainte
(Material from Italy - preparatory meeting held in Pinerolo, Italy)
1989 Building community: one body in Christ (Romans 12:5-6a)
Bâtir la communauté : Un seul corps en Christ
(Material from Canada - preparatory meeting held in Whaley Bridge,
England)
1990 That they all may be one...That the world may believe (John 17)
Que tous soient un...Afin que le monde croie
(Material from Spain - preparatory meeting held in Madrid, Spain)
1991 Praise the Lord, all you nations! (Psalm 117 and Romans 15:5-13)
Nations, louez toutes le Seigneur
(Material from Germany - preparatory meeting held in Rotenburg an der
Fulda, Federal Republic of Germany)
1992 I am with you always ... Go, therefore (Matthew 28:16-20)
Je suis avec vous...allez donc
(Material from Belgium - preparatory meeting held in Bruges, Belgium)
1993 Bearing the fruit of the Spirit for Christian unity (Galatians 5:22-23)
Pour l‘unité : laisser mûrir en nous les fruits de l‘Esprit
(Material from Zaire - preparatory meeting held near Zurich, Switzerland)
1994 The household of God: called to be one in heart and mind (Acts 4:23-37)
La maison de Dieu : Appelés à être un dans le coeur et dans l‘esprit
(Material from Ireland - preparatory meeting held in Dublin, Republic of
Ireland)
42
1995 Koinonia: communion in God and with one another (John 15:1-17)
La koinonia : communion en Dieu et les uns avec les autres
(Material from Faith and Order, preparatory meeting held in Bristol,
England)
1996 Behold, I stand at the door and knock (Revelation 3:14-22)
Je me tiens à la porte et je frappe
(Preparatory material from Portugal, meeting held in Lisbon, Portugal)
1997 We entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians
5:20)
Au nom du Christ, laissez-vous réconcilier avec Dieu
(Material from Nordic Ecumenical Council, preparatory meeting held in
Stockholm, Sweden)
1998 The Spirit helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:14-27)
L‘Esprit aussi vient en aide à notre faiblesse
(Preparatory material from France, meeting held in Paris, France)
1999 He will dwell with them as their God, they will be his peoples
(Revelation 21:1-7)
Dieu demeurera avec eux. Ils seront ses peuples
et lui sera le Dieu qui est avec eux
(Preparatory material from Malaysia, meeting held in Monastery of Bose,
Italy)
2000 Blessed be God who has blessed us in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14)
Béni soit Dieu, qui nous a bénis en Christ
(Preparatory material from the Middle East Council of Churches, meeting
held La Verna, Italy)
2001 I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life (John 14:1-6)
Je suis le chemin, et la vérité et la vie
(Preparatory material from Romania and meeting held at Vulcan,
Romania)
2002 For with you is the fountain of life (Psalm 36:5-9)
Car chez toi est la fontaine de la vie (Psalm 35, 6-10)
(Preparatory material CEEC and CEC, meeting near Augsburg, Germany)
43
2003 We have this treasure in clay jars (2 Corinthians 4:4-18)
Car nous avons ce trésor dans des vases d‘argile
(Preparatory material churches in Argentina, meeting at Los Rubios,
Spain)
2004 My peace I give to you (John 14:23-31; John 14:27)
Je vous donne ma paix
(Preparatory material from Aleppo, Syria - meeting in Palermo, Sicily)
2005 Christ, the one foundation of the church (1 Corinthians 3 1-23)
Le Christ, unique fondement de l‘Eglise
(Preparatory material from Slovakia - meeting in Piestaňy, Slovakia)
2006 Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them
(Matthew 18:18-20)
Là où deux ou trois se trouvent réunis en mon nom, je suis au milieu
d‘eux.
(Preparatory material from Ireland - meeting held in Prosperous, Co.
Kildare, Ireland)
2007 He even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak (Mark 7:31-37)
Il fait entendre les sourds et parler les muets
(Preparatory material from South Africa – meeting held in Faverges,
France)
2008 Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:(12a) 13b-18)
Priez sans cesse
(Preparatory material from USA – meeting held in Graymoor, Garrison,
USA)
2009 That they may become one in your hand (Ezekiel 37:15-28)
Ils seront unis dans ta main
(Preparatory material from Korea – meeting held in Marseilles, France)
2010 You are witnesses of these things (Luke 24:48)
…de tout cela, c‘est vous qui êtes les témoins
(Preparatory material from Scotland – meeting held in Glasgow, Scotland)
2011 One in the apostles‘ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer
(cf. Acts 2:42)
Unis dans l‘enseignement des apôtres, la communion fraternelle, la
fraction du pain et la prière
(Preparatory material from Jerusalem – meeting held in Saydnaya, Syria)
44
2012 We will all be Changed by the Victory of our Lord Jesus Christ
(cf. 1 Cor 15:51-58)
Tous, nous serons transformés par la victoire de notre Seigneur Jésus-
Christ
(Preparatory material from Poland – meeting held in Warsaw, Poland)
2013 What does God require of us? (cf. Mi 6, 6-8)
Que nous demande le Seigneur ?
(Preparatory material from India – meeting held in Bangalore, India)
KEY DATES IN THE HISTORY
OF THE WEEK OF PRAYER
FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
c. 1740 In Scotland a Pentecostal movement arose, with North American links,
whose revivalist message included prayers for and with all churches.
1820 The Rev. James Haldane Stewart publishes ―Hints for the General
Union of Christians for the Outpouring of the Spirit‖.
1840 The Rev. Ignatius Spencer, a convert to Roman Catholicism, suggests
a ‗Union of Prayer for Unity‘.
1867 The First Lambeth Conference of Anglican Bishops emphasizes prayer
for unity in the Preamble to its Resolutions.
1894 Pope Leo XIII encourages the practice of a Prayer Octave for Unity in
the context of Pentecost.
1908 First observance of the ‗Church Unity Octave‘ initiated by the Rev.
Paul Wattson.
1926 The Faith and Order movement begins publishing ―Suggestions for an
Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity‖.
1935 Abbé Paul Couturier of France advocates the ‗Universal Week of
Prayer for Christian Unity‘ on the inclusive basis of prayer for ―the
unity Christ wills by the means he wills‖.
45
1958 Unité Chrétienne (Lyons, France) and the Faith and Order
Commission of the World Council of Churches begin co-operative
preparation of materials for the Week of Prayer.
1964 In Jerusalem, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras I prayed
together Jesus‘ prayer ―that they all may be one‖ (John 17).
1964 The Decree on Ecumenism of Vatican II emphasizes that prayer is the
soul of the ecumenical movement and encourages observance of the
Week of Prayer.
1966 The Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches
and the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity [now known as the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity] begin official joint
preparation of the Week of Prayer material.
1968 First official use of Week of Prayer material prepared jointly by Faith
and Order and the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity (now
known as the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity).
1975 First use of Week of Prayer material based on a draft text prepared by
a local ecumenical group. An Australian group was the first to take up
this plan in preparing the 1975 initial draft.
1988 Week of Prayer materials were used in the inaugural worship for The
Christian Federation of Malaysia, which links the major Christian
groupings in that country.
1994 International group preparing text for 1996 included representatives
from YMCA and YWCA.
2004 Agreement reached that resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian
Unity be jointly published and produced in the same format by Faith
and Order (WCC) and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian
Unity (Catholic Church).
2008 Commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for
Christian Unity. (Its predecessor, the Church Unity Octave, was first
observed in 1908).